Needle



FM), $5, W32. R. J. LOWRIE 1,844,364

NEEDLE Filed Jan. 12, 1931 ATTORNEY 1 Patented Feb. 9, 1932 ROBERT J. LOWRIE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

NEEDLE Application filed January 12, 1931. Serial No, 508,131.

This invention relates to a novel and improved form of needle, the novel features of which will be best understood from the following description and the annexed draw- .51 ings, in which I have shown a selected embodiment of the invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal View of a needle body and illustrating the initial step in mak ing the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of the core to which reference will be made later.

Fig. l is a fragmentary view of the needle body showing the core in place in the slot in the body.

Fi 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:.

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 4,

but showing a later step in the manufacture of the needle.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal elevation of the structure appearing in Fig. 6.

Figs. 8 and 9 are sections on the lines 8-8 and 99 of Fig. 7

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view of a needle constructed according to my invention, and bent to a curvature such as is commonly used in connection with surgical needles.

Fig. 11 is a view corresponding to Fig. 10, but illustrating what will normally happen when the structure of F 10 breaks.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown therein a needle having a body 1 which may be provided with an eye 2 and which, of course, has the usual point 3. I shall describethe invention as applied to a surgical needle with which it finds particular utility, although the invention may be practiced with other kinds of needles, such as a hypodermic needle, a lumbar puncture needle, or a sewing needle.

lVith surgical needles in particular, and also with other needles, it is not unusual for the needle to break while in use. This is particularly disadvantageous and even dangerous where the needle is used in connection with a surgical operation, because normally the break takes place adjacent the point where it is inserted into the flesh, skin, 50 or other tissue of the patient. This is true,

because in the normal operation of sewing up a Wound, a needle is inserted into what for simplicity will be termed the tissue of the patient, and then it is used as a lever with (9 the fulcrum on the tissue at the point where the needle enters it. This is necessary, because the needle is used not only to merely pierce the tissue, but to draw it together, and, therefore, the needle has to be used not only s as a piercing instrument, but also as a lever, 03 and so has to take a lateral stress tendingto bend or break it.

It is, of course, well known that a needle is made of relatively high carbon or other p steel which will take the line point which is needed, and therefore the steel is often not capable of taking the bending stress to which it is subjected during an operation. I have overcome this difficulty by providing within 3; the body of the needle a longitudinally on all tending reinforcement which for convenience I shall call a core, and which may be in the form of a wire or in any other suitable form. This core is of flexible and relatively tough material as compared to the material of the needle, and therefore if the needle breaks, the core will hold the parts together, so that the part which may be embedded in the wound may be withdrawn quickly and. easily. Of,--

course, it is well known that many operations have to be performed quickly, and the time taken to retrieve the point of a broken needle might make the difference between success or failure of the operationl Referring again to the drawings, Fig. 3 shows one form of the core 4. In this form, it is indicated asa cylindrical wire which is placed in a longitudinallyextending slot 5, this slot being exemplary of any suitable bore or recess which may be formed in the needle body and which extends lengthwise thereof. In Fig. 4 is shown the core as it will appear in place in the recess.

After the core is placed in the recess, it may be secured therein as by bending over the walls 6 of the recess until they meet, as

shown in Figs. 6', 8, and 9. When they thus meet, the meeting edges form a longitudinah ly extendlng seam 7, as best shown ln'Fig. 6,.

the edges of the walls being'preferably chamfered as shown, to insure a good joint between the walls.

It will be seen that each end of the core is provided with enlarged portions 8 and 9 and, as best shown in Fig. 7, it will be seen that the metal of the walls 6 is forced into tight engagement with the core or end 8 and substantially intoengagement with: the core at a point 10 spaced from the ends 9. This engagement at the point 10 is a sliding one, the object of which will be explained. presently, but the end 8 is rigidly heldagainst movement in either direction.

In Fig. 10, I have shown theneedlebody,

as being bent to some such curve as is common, in: surgical needles,,and. it willz be seen that even after. curving, the end 9 is spaced from the point 10, so'that the core 4 may still move longitudinally of-ithe recess;

In; Fig. IL is shownav typical breakof the needle at; l(),.and.itwill be seenthat the end Sremainsfixed in position, whereas'the end 9 may slide lengthwise of the recess 5vuntil it engages the. wallsof. the recess at. 10. It

is to be understood that the point.- 10 is merely a constricted portion of; the recess of: suflicient extent so that the end-.9 cannot pass it, and while for the sakeofsimplioitvl shall refer in the claims: to an! engagement between the wallsvof'the recess-andthe-corait issupposed to-be understood that there need not be. actual. engagement, although nor-mal- 1y there will be. r 7

It. will: thus be seen that'. when a.- needle breaks at some such point as shown at, 11, the end having the'point willbe retained by the core 4,, which: may bend morev than. the

body oftheneedle, withoutbreaking .Then

the. surgeon may quickly withdraw the point from the. wound. The limited longitudinal movement of the core relative to the body within the body, and means limiting said longitudinal movement.

2. A needle comprising a body having a longitudinally extending recess therein, a

longitudinally extending slot, a core disposed i'n'saidslot, thewalls of the slot being formed inwardly toprevent removal of the core from the slot, means securingone endof said core to said. bod ,and permitting longitudinal movement-"o theother end within the body,

and means limiting said" longitudinalimove, 'ment.

4. A needle having a body formed with a longitudinally extending" slot, a core disposed insaid slot, the walls of the slot being formed inwardly to prevent removal of.

the core from the slot, the ends of, said core being enlarged, and thewalls of the, slot being-pressed into firm engagement with one of said enlarged ends andinto'engagementlwith the core adjacent the other enlargedend for the purpose set forth.

5. A needle havin a body formed with a longitudinallyextending slot, andla corev disposed insai slot, the walls of the slot beingformed inwardly to prevent; removal of u I i 3. A needle having a body formed with a i the corefrom the slot, the edges of the walls contacting with each other: to form alongitudially extending seam.

Bonner J.. LQWRIE.

of the needle permitsbending of the: core at A the break. on a. large radius-instead of on, a

short radiusas wouldbethe case if the core were held rigidlyintheneedle-body-throngh- 7 out its length, I This relievesthe core of stress at. the point where the break takes place, and thus minimizesthe/ possibilities of its breaking at this, point", either when: the

initial break takes: place or duringremoval of the point from the wound.

While I have shown the invention as embodied in a specifie form, it is to be 'understood that various, changes in details may be made without departing from the scope end of said' core to said body and permit ting; longitudinal movement o fthe other, end 

